Simon’s mea culpa. Simon Cowell is well aware that his reputation took a beating last summer, when Us Weekly revealed that the caustic British TV personality had fathered a child with Lauren Silverman — who, at the time, was married to his friend, Andrew Silverman.

In a long interview with the UK’s Mirror, Cowell 54 says he does “regret” the betrayal. "It is not something I am proud of or wanted to happen in terms of hurting anyone. It just happened. You have to deal with it and man up to it,” says the former American Idol judge, who welcomed baby Eric with Lauren in February, about two months after she finalized her divorce. “You have to accept the responsibility and the criticism. All I can say is, my advice to you is if it happens to you, you just have to deal with it a day at a time and own up to your responsibilities."

Cowell says Eric’s unexpected arrival was a perfect kick in the butt for the hard-charging star to take a breather. "You can start to live a slightly abnormal life and there is no question of doubt I was heading down that path," he says. "Too many late-night phone calls. Too obsessed with things."

In his new life with Lauren and baby Eric, Cowell insists he’s intent on striking a healthier work-life balance. "Maybe because it puts things in perspective having two people in my life who I am responsible for. There were times last year when I would live in two rooms, y'know kitchen and bedroom, in your house. It is a weird existence when you live on your own," he says. "On the phone all night, blah blah blah. Now the house is full of people. It has become a home rather than a house.”